One more 'Bits' piece completed, and now working on number three.  I'm enjoying the hand stitching and beading on these pieces, then it's off to backing, which I'm doing in microsuede, and making the fasteners for the neck cords - first one in copper, this one in bronze, perhaps silver for the next one?
So, here's number two:

Now to finish number three.

collinsstudio: I just finished one of my 'Bits' pieces. Decided ...

collinsstudio: I just finished one of my 'Bits' pieces.  Decided ...: I just finished one of my 'Bits' pieces.  Decided to make it into jewelry using some of my beads and collectibles.  Thought you migh...

I just finished one of my 'Bits' pieces.  Decided to make it into jewelry using some of my beads and collectibles.  Thought you might like to see what came up.  Don't know for sure if it's finished, but I think so - perhaps a little tweaking, we'll see.

Now for a few close-ups

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

I've been stewing all week since getting back from an incredible time in Taos with Diane Ericson and Holly Badgley. As usual, I don't have any large, finished masterpieces from my time there, but my brain has been going round and round, so thought I'd share a few pieces that have been happening.

These two little pieces are what I'll call Bits.  An odd piece of linen, then painted, then I went around and picked up bits and pieces off of the floor.  With twenty women working on fabric stuff, there were a treasure of 'bits' on the floor.  The wrapped piece is a twig from the cottonwood trees around the Mabel Dodge Luhan property where we were staying and working, and the fabric piece an odd piece of linen I had from a vest I had cut out that day.  I felt these bits from all these women of my tribe would form a memory piece from this time and place, and might be incorporated into the vest I was working on.

So, here are two more I have made since coming home.  I'll do more hand stitching on these, and they may also become a pocket, or decoration of some sort on a future garment.

There is some construction work going on at my studio so these are the perfect little things to stitch while chaos is surrounding me for a few days.  It will be great when it's finished though.  New heat/air units - much better than the old, wornout swamp cooler.

These are so much fun to make that I think I will make more.  Just for the fun of it.

collinsstudio: Fall is definitely here today. The days are short...

collinsstudio: Fall is definitely here today.  The days are short...: Fall is definitely here today.  The days are shorter, a little cooler and some of the leaves are starting to turn on the trees.  I haven&#39...

Fall is definitely here today.  The days are shorter, a little cooler and some of the leaves are starting to turn on the trees.  I haven't had much time to stitch or paint this week, and I'm feeling the itch to stitch pretty bad, so maybe a little hand stitching this evening.
 We are getting ready to do some remodeling on our kitchen so that has been taking up most of my time.  Picking the new counter top tiles and backsplash and sink and faucet, and, and, and, on it goes.  But we're almost ready to actually start the project.  Yay!
Next weekend I'll go to Taos for a Design Outside the Lines Retreat with Diane Ericson.  I can hardly wait for the time to spend sewing and painting with friends old and new, and Taos is always beautiful in the Fall.  I'll send pics.
I decided to include a new photo of me and my studio mate, my African Grey parrot, Allee Bird ( aka Beeper).  She's great company for me in the studio, and loves having her picture taken.

Hope you're having a great Autumn and getting lots of great creative projects done.  I'll be back in the studio soon - and with a nice, new kitchen to play in.

Well Labor Day is over, so-o the unofficial end of Summer.  Fall is my fav season so I'm good with this.  I've been stashing more things into my 'stash', and I just received a package of silk things from Treenway Silks and just had to share with you.  These colors are wonderful, and their Creative Silk Packs are so fun to play and experiment with.  Full of carrier rods, hankies, cocoons and silk waste.

There is also a six pack of Silk threads, as you can see.  These will go well with my hand dyed fabrics.  You can see the colorways I'm choosing - rich, earthy tones.  Looking forward to Fall/Winter play.  Lots of stitching in my future.

collinsstudio: Cool and quiet here this morning. The kind of Fal...

collinsstudio: Cool and quiet here this morning.  The kind of Fal...: Cool and quiet here this morning.  The kind of Fall morning that I love, only 64 degrees at 10 a.m.  it will warm up later, I'm sure, bu...

Cool and quiet here this morning.  The kind of Fall morning that I love, only 64 degrees at 10 a.m.  it will warm up later, I'm sure, but for now it's lovely.  I'm nesting like crazy, as I always do this time of year, getting my dyeing done so I can take advantage of drying the fabrics outside.  I think I'll have quite a stash come winter.

This is a little piece I'm working on now.  Using little bits of silk chiffon dyed with Black Cherry, from Dharma.  Some of the pieces in the dye bath are very dark, but this one has turned out a lovely shade of burgundy.  I love it with the oranges and golds.  Perhaps some beading on this one, don't know for sure yet, I'm still moving pieces and colors around.

This is a little birthday card (cloth) made for a friend.  I added a quote from Mary Oliver, written on silk organza and then stitched on.  It was fun to make and she loved it.

Watching a little hummingbird outside my studio window - they're all headed south for the Winter now.  I'll miss them.

Hope you're having a lovely Labor Day weekend.

collinsstudio: Full Piece Window Close-upGrasses Close-Up I'v...

collinsstudio:  Full Piece
 Window Close-up
Grasses Close-Up
 I'v...:  Full Piece  Window Close-up Grasses Close-Up  I've been working on several fiber pieces at a time since I got back from Gree...

 Full Piece

 Window Close-up

Grasses Close-Up

 I've been working on several fiber pieces at a time since I got back from Greece,  so I also finished several of them at once. Here is another piece from that series.  I think there may be a couple more in the works, will let you know.  This is a window in a small village where we had lunch, small and very old.  I added the church domes that were so interesting, a blue the same color as the sky.

collinsstudio: I love, love indigo dyed fabric and found this wo...

collinsstudio:
I love, love indigo dyed fabric and found this wo...: I love, love indigo dyed fabric and found this wonder piece at the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe last year.  So I've lo...

I love, love indigo dyed fabric and found this wonder piece at the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe last year.  So I've looked at it, and petted it, and finally got up the nerve to cut it and make it into a wearable tunic.  As you can see, I just Had to do something else to it, so did some hand stitching on the bodice, pockets and sleeves.  The second photo shows the pockets.
I saved every little bit of the leftover fabric and will use it in some other work.  Indigo is precious.

collinsstudio: Here is a new piece that I just finished. Embell...

collinsstudio:
Here is a new piece that I just finished.  Embell...: Here is a new piece that I just finished.  Embellisher using dyed wool and silk roving on scrim and felt, along with hand dyed fabrics,...

Here is a new piece that I just finished.  Embellisher using dyed wool and silk roving on scrim and felt, along with hand dyed fabrics, small pieces of yarn, then machine and hand stitched, with small glass buttons added.  Mounted on a stretched canvas for display.  9" X 12" 

 I'll be teaching this class at the Janome Sewing Center in Santa Fe in early December.  If you're going to be around you can sign up or stop by.  We'll be having lots of fun playing with whatever we can find.

collinsstudio: A new fiber collage inspired by my trip to Greece....

collinsstudio: A new fiber collage inspired by my trip to Greece....: A new fiber collage inspired by my trip to Greece.  Painted, dyed, collage, hand and machined stitching, done on an old linen napkin with ...

A new fiber collage inspired by my trip to Greece.  Painted, dyed, collage, hand and machined stitching, done on an old linen napkin with other old and new fabrics - even tea bag paper.
Loved doing this so I'm starting another.  Will keep you updated.

collinsstudio: Photos of Greece Our group at Paraportiani church....

collinsstudio: Photos of Greece Our group at Paraportiani church....: Photos of Greece  Our group at Paraportiani church.  Photo of Jane LaFazio  Naxos Island restaurant  Church at Katapala  View of ...

Photos of Greece

 Our group at Paraportiani church.  Photo of Jane LaFazio

 Naxos Island restaurant

 Church at Katapala

 View of Paraportiani

 Athens Acropolis Museum

 Lions of Delos Island

Artichoke seller

collinsstudio: A map of the Cyclades Islands in Greece where I j...

collinsstudio:  A map of the Cyclades Islands in Greece where I j...:  A map of the Cyclades Islands in Greece where I just spent two wonderful weeks with Jane LaFazio and Carlo Roberts and a group of fellow ...

collinsstudio: collinsstudio: A small piece I just completed toda...

collinsstudio: collinsstudio: A small piece I just completed toda...: collinsstudio: A small piece I just completed today.  I first pai... : A small piece I just completed today.  I first painted a landscape wi...

 A map of the Cyclades Islands in Greece where I just spent two wonderful weeks with Jane LaFazio and Carlo Roberts and a group of fellow travelers/artists.

 Looking up at the Acropolis in Athens.

 A wonderful little village on one of the islands

 From my hotel window on Amorgos Island

A drawing of an ancient monastery in Amorgos.  300 steps to the entrance.

I've just been back a week from a wonderful trip to Athens and several islands in Greece.  Jet lag is over, the laundry is done and I'm finally feeling like I'm home again.  It was a fabulous trip with 17 fellow travelers - a group led by Jane LaFazio and Carlo Roberts.  All women except for Jane's brave and kind husband Don Strom.  We were all Don's girls.  I think he enjoyed it.  :-)  But we did try to be good girls.

collinsstudio: A small piece I just completed today. I first pai...

collinsstudio: A small piece I just completed today.  I first pai...: A small piece I just completed today.  I first painted a landscape with textile paints onto a linen cloth, then stitched and felted yarns ...

A small piece I just completed today.  I first painted a landscape with textile paints onto a linen cloth, then stitched and felted yarns and roving pieces with an embellishing machine.  Great fun!  Don't know what I'll do with this piece yet, perhaps make a small purse??  I'll let you know.

collinsstudio: A few photos of some of my new polymer clay jewel...

collinsstudio:  A few photos of some of my new polymer clay jewel...:  A few photos of some of my new polymer clay jewelry.  Back to playing in clay again.  Not my first time with polymer, but my first time m...

 A few photos of some of my new polymer clay jewelry.  Back to playing in clay again.  Not my first time with polymer, but my first time making polymer jewelry.  Great fun.  I especially like making faux beads like the amber beads above, and bangle bracelets like the ones below.

The bottom bangle incorporates some wire work.  There is definitely more of this in my future, the two elements just seem to play together well.